Middle-click not working... sometimes

I have noticed recently that middle-clicking on a hyperlink in IE8 sometimes
doesn't open a link in a new tab, but just opens the page in the current tab.
I haven't had this problem before, and it only started a few weeks ago. I
have noticed it on more than one computer.
Right-clicking and choosing "Open in new tab" seems to work every time. Am
I going nuts, or has something happened?

See this recent, related discussion:
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general/browse_frm/thread/77b0443d0972e86f
Always state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3; WinXP 64-bit SP2;
Vista SP1; Vista 64-bit SP2; Win7; Win7 64-bit) as well as your IE version
when posting in an IE-specific forum or newsgroup. Please do so in your next
reply.
1. Does the behavior persist if you start IE in No Add-ons mode?
=> Start | (All) Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Internet
Explorer (No add-ons).
Troubleshooting and Internet Explorer’s (No Add-ons) Mode [Applies to IE7 &
IE8 in all OSS]
http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/07/25/678113.aspx
2. Does the behavior persist if you Reset IE Advanced settings (RIES)?
WinXP or Vista: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923737
Win7 only:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Reset-Internet-Explorer-settings
3. What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?
What third-party firewall (if any)? If WinXP or Vista: Were any of these
applications running in the background when you installed IE8?
4. Has a(nother) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on this
machine (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought
it)?
Domenic Alvaro wrote:
> I have noticed recently that middle-clicking on a hyperlink in IE8
> sometimes
> doesn't open a link in a new tab, but just opens the page in the current
> tab. I haven't had this problem before, and it only started a few weeks
> ago. I have noticed it on more than one computer.
>
> Right-clicking and choosing "Open in new tab" seems to work every time.
> Am
> I going nuts, or has something happened?

"Domenic Alvaro" <DomenicAlvaro@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D3BB2150-CCCB-43B7-844F-E3654071587F@microsoft.com...
>I have noticed recently that middle-clicking on a hyperlink in IE8
>sometimes
> doesn't open a link in a new tab, but just opens the page in the current
> tab.
> I haven't had this problem before, and it only started a few weeks ago. I
> have noticed it on more than one computer.
>
> Right-clicking and choosing "Open in new tab" seems to work every time.
> Am
> I going nuts, or has something happened?
Middle Click?
I can click with the mouse wheel, that's the closest thing I have to a
middle-click, but it only lets me jump to another open window. I can do the
same thing by selecting one of the open programs on the Task Bar. Right
Click opens a dialog box that allows several options, and Left Click open
the link, sometimes in a new Tab, sometimes in a new Window. The link drives
that bus, so I take whatever annoying behavior that results with a grain of
salt. I've selected in TOOLS>OPTIONS to always open in a new tab, but it
doesn't always work out the way I would prefer. I blame the dissapointment
on the link and move on.

Finally somone else who has this problem. This has been driving me
nuts, and I can't find any other discussion on the net about it.
It happened to me when I upgraded to Win 7 with IE 8.
Sometimes middle click opens a new tab, sometimes it opens in the same
window. I get a rapid 'double click' sound when it does not work
properly.
AV = AVG free
Middle click also plays up in IE (no add ins)
Same behaviour for a USB mouse or my pen/tablet
--
mikeincairns

I have the same problem. Just started happening a few weeks ago and I didn't
upgrade anything. The problem occurs on my work and home computers.
IE8
Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
It used to be that a middle-click always opened a link in a new tab (the
desired result). But lately, it doesn't always work. Sometimes it goes to a
new tab sometimes it opens in the current tab. The inconsistent behavior is
frustrating.

"Domenic Alvaro" <DomenicAlvaro@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D3BB2150-CCCB-43B7-844F-E3654071587F@microsoft.com...
> I have noticed recently that middle-clicking on a hyperlink in IE8
> sometimes
> doesn't open a link in a new tab, but just opens the page in the current
> tab.
> I haven't had this problem before, and it only started a few weeks ago. I
> have noticed it on more than one computer.
>
> Right-clicking and choosing "Open in new tab" seems to work every time.
> Am
> I going nuts, or has something happened?
How are you doing your Middleclick? E.g. I have a wireless mouse with a
scrollwheel where "clicking" with the scrollwheel is defined as Middleclick.
Well, frequently my attempts at clicking just move the pointer off the link
so I don't get a good click. When I was using my Kensington trackball I
had a chord defined for Middleclick and that was a much more reliable
procedure. Perhaps if I used a different button for Middleclick instead of
the scrollwheel I would have a better result. But the only thing that I
really want Middleclick for anyway is starting AutoScroll, which works,
within the limitations of my use of the hardware, as described above.
IMO Ctrl-Click and Shift-Ctrl-Click would be better options if you are just
using Middleclick to open links in a new tab, foreground or background.
---

Finally! I thought I was going crazy. This has happened to me on 3
different machines now, one XP, one Vista and one Windows 7 Ultimate.
Does this only happen in IE8 or does it also happen in Firefox?
--
Mech

After using vista business for over a year the wheel click to open a new tab doesn't always work. I presume this is because of a windows update that wasn't tested fully. It is very annoying as you cannot now keep a google search unless by using the right click/new tab method. A very backward step!
Domenic Alvaro wrote:
Middle-click not working... sometimes
17-Feb-10
I have noticed recently that middle-clicking on a hyperlink in IE8 sometimes
does not open a link in a new tab, but just opens the page in the current tab.
I have not had this problem before, and it only started a few weeks ago. I
have noticed it on more than one computer.
Right-clicking and choosing "Open in new tab" seems to work every time. Am
I going nuts, or has something happened?
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I am using XP Pro and IE 8 and the wheel mouse clicking thing has just started happening to me too. I think it only happens clicking out of Google in Internet Explorer, so I don't know if Google have changed something. It is driving me up the wall, as I use wheel mouse clicking to open links in new windows all the time. Even searching for a solution to this problem in Google made it happen several times.

Reboot.
"It makes me MAD" <user@msgroups.net/> wrote in message
news:uEHMwTExKHA.5132@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>I am using XP Pro and IE 8 and the wheel mouse clicking thing has just
>started happening to me too. I think it only happens clicking out of
>Google in Internet Explorer, so I don't know if Google have changed
>something. It is driving me up the wall, as I use wheel mouse clicking to
>open links in new windows all the time. Even searching for a solution to
>this problem in Google made it happen several times.
>
> ---
> frmsrcurl:
> http://msgroups.net/microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general/Middle-click-not-working-sometimes